


A Creature of his Own

by Raven_Song



Series: Creatures Great and Small [1]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale Is Soft, Bumblebee - Freeform, Crowley is hiding in the Garden, Eavesdropping, I love him, Love Confessions, M/M, The Garden, and names the bumblebee, really - Freeform, soft, the sassiest bumblebee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-11 15:11:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19930114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_Song/pseuds/Raven_Song
Summary: When the angels get commanded to travel the earth and name the newly made animals, Aziraphale stays in the Garden. He doesn't think he's good enough to get to name his own creature, but something is trapped in the flowers and he can't help but look.





	1. The Angel Speaks

**Author's Note:**

> This might become a series of Aziraphale interacting with small animals. As always, kudos and comments are much appreciated!

Aziraphale, Principality and Angel of the Eastern Gate quite liked the sun. He turned his face up to it, eyes closed as the warmth brushed his cheeks. It was a quiet day in the Garden, remarkably. Of course the Garden was never truly quiet, but earlier that day there had been a cacophony. Or more accurately, a host of raucous angels had been gathered together to hear from their Almighty God. 

When She spoke to them, it was to bestow upon the host a simple task. She had been doing so much work creating the universe, after all, and She was busy working on a new thing called ‘man’. It would be the duty of the angels to name all of creation, particularly the animals. (They had named all of the plants the day before.) Eager to please the Almighty, the angels had scattered on foot and on wing to name the new creations.

Gabriel, of course, had immediately taken to the skies, seeking out the birds with their keen eyes and sharp talons. Fearsome fighters, just like he was. He soared with them through the skies, diving and whirling gracefully. These were truly magnificent creatures.

Sandalphon searched the seas for the shimmering fish, all flash and glitter. He did so love shining things. He swam through the sea alongside the great whales and pointed swordfish. Surely these were the most impressive creations.

Uriel sought the great hunters, the large creatures who prowled and fed on the gentle ones. Snarling amongst the big cats in the savanna, Uriel smiled. These were creatures worthy of the attention of an angel.

Michael wanted to name the clever ones, those animals just a few steps away from the humans. She walked amongst the apes, marveling at their opposable thumbs and impressive tails. These were the brilliant creatures.

Aziraphale alone remained in the Garden. He was not fast, and it was pointless to race his heavenly brethren to lay claim to a creature of his own nor was he strong enough to challenge anyone for naming rights if they found their creature at the same time. No, Aziraphale was not built for speed or strength. He was built to love the Garden, and if he couldn’t name an animal, at least he could appreciate the beauty of Eden.

He sat on a sun-warmed stone, adjusting his position and the fabric of his robe until he was optimally comfortable. Aziraphale smiled at the wash of gentle sounds around him. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, stirring up the rich fragrance of the flowers around him. Rich jasmine and bougainvillea wafted on the air to mingle with the perfumes of rose and hyacinth. It was never overpowering or too faint but kept in perfect balance, as was God’s way. The brook bubbled nearby, and something moved through the underbrush just out of sight. It became a sort of symphony: the music of the Garden. 

Then there was something new. A strange noise simultaneously at odds with the others and adding a new richness to the layers of sound. It was a sort of panicked buzzing. A harsh sound in comparison to the soft breeze and flow of water. Aziraphale opened his eyes, puzzled.

It was coming from a cluster of fragrant white blossoms to his right. Cautious, Aziraphale shifted closer to the flowers. Freesia, they had been named. Keeping far enough away that whatever caused the noise wouldn’t harm him, Aziraphale peered down into a blossom that rocked against the wind.

A small creature was nestled in the petals. Aziraphale supposed it was from the most recent batch of creations. Insects, he believed they were called. Its small body was plump, covered in a gentle downy fuzz. As Aziraphale examined it, the little thing stirred. Wings buzzed to life and the insect flew forward, bumping its head against the flower. It flew backwards, once more colliding with the petals. Trapped.

“Poor little beastie,” Aziraphale murmured sympathetically. “Let me help you.” Gingerly, he dipped a finger into the flower and under the insect. Six tiny legs clung to his finger as he guided it free. Upon closer inspection, Aziraphale could see it was striped yellow and black with kaleidoscope eyes.

It buzzed at him as if to say thank you for helping me.

“It was my pleasure. You were having trouble for a minute there, weren’t you, little one?”

If insects could shrug, this one would have.

“I understand completely,” Aziraphale told it as he settled back against his rock. “I’m not like the other angels. They’re graceful. I just bumble about making a fool of myself.”  
The insect marched up his finger triumphantly. Something golden dusted its haunches. Pollen, Aziraphale realized. It was a pollinator. A tiny gardener, helping to carry life from one flower to the next. A busy little worker. 

He sat on his stone and watched his new little friend clamber across his hands. He didn’t need a fearsome bird or a shiny fish or even a great hunter or clever ape. This wee thing was his creature to name. It had chosen him, and so with a tender smile Aziraphale whispered to it.

“It’s ever so nice to meet you, brother bumblebee.”

The newly named bumblebee buzzed happily and wiggled about in a bizarre dance. He nuzzled Aziraphale’s thumb in thanks.

Off in the bushes, a pair of yellow eyes watched the angel and his bee. A forked tongue flicked out to taste the air. He wasn’t a serpent, of course, not really. He had ventured up into the Garden before to scout for the humans that were supposedly the greatest of all creations. It appeared that he had arrived too early. 

Instead, he found an angel talking to a small creature, his eyes twinkling and his voice gentle. It was a nice voice, the serpent thought absently, and a nice face. In fact, the only nice face he had seen in the Garden. All of the other angels had that stern look about them as if they were about to smite. This angel seemed more inclined to perform a blessing than calling heavenly wrath. As he watched the odd pair, the serpent knew one day he was going to meet that angel. For now, observing would have to be enough.

The Head Office down below wouldn’t allow him to dawdle, though. Humans or not, his duty was to make some trouble. Crawly turned reluctantly away to slither back through the undergrowth. After all, he had a temptation to do.


	2. The Serpent Lurks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aziraphale meets a bumblebee in St. James' Park while waiting for Crowley in the present day. They discuss the angel's relationship with Crowley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! Part 2. I thought I'd publish the new chapter on my birthday as a gift to you all.
> 
> As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated!

Aziraphale was waiting for Crowley at their usual bench in St. James’ Park. It was an uncharacteristically lovely day in London with the perfect combination of bright sun and a cooling breeze. As someone who thoroughly enjoyed wearing layers, Aziraphale was very grateful for cooler weather. The ducks swam in lazy circles, showing off in the hopes of being fed more bread. It didn’t appear to be working.

St. James’ was so very different from Eden. More people, for a start. They milled about, playing football or frisbee on the green behind the bench. Along the shore, joggers ran past in their bright athletic gear. The air was humming with the energy of hundreds of gathered people, but not the demon he was looking for. Aziraphale pulled the pocket watch out of his waistcoat to check the time and frowned.

Crowley was late.

The angel sighed and miracled a book into his hand. If he were going to wait, at least he could occupy himself with some literature. There was something about falling headlong into a good novel that Aziraphale loved. His world and his surroundings faded as the words on the page sparked to life, transporting the angel wherever he wished to go. It was a miracle of the human variety; not magic insomuch as the angels used, but beautiful nonetheless. One might even say it was the mundanity of mankind that gave books their power.

Aziraphale was so embroiled in the plot that he didn’t see the flying speck circling his head. It was only when the creature alighted on the page that the angel recognized what exactly it was. He smiled, overjoyed.

“Why hello, my old friend. It’s ever so lovely to see you.” The bumblebee buzzed happily, its plump body vibrating with delight. It was not, of course, the same bee Aziraphale had named all those years ago in Eden. This bumblebee, like all the others, was a descendant of the first. Its name had been ingrained into the insect from birth along with the face of its patron.

The little creature buzzed and tapped its small foot on the page. Aziraphale could almost hear it ask _What are you looking at this for?_

“I’m waiting for a friend,” he explained. “We often meet up here, but it would seem he’s late. I thought I might as well read to pass the time, don’t you think?” The bee wiggled.

_Why waste time on him then? You should keep busy like me._

“And yet you stopped by to visit me,” Aziraphale pointed out. A woman pushing a baby carriage gave him a strange look, but Aziraphale was focused on his tiny companion and took no notice of her look or her speeding away.

_Well of course,_ the bee seemed to say. _You are the namer. I’m obliged to drop by and say hello if I see you._

“Right, of course. Silly me. Truthfully, I don’t mind waiting for Crowley. It is such a lovely day out.” The insect appraised the park.

_Ever since the Boy fixed the world there are more of us than ever. Plenty of flowers for me. Plenty of work to do._

“Quite right, too. Are you the one keeping these flowers so lovely?” The bumblebee preened. “Might I say you’ve done a masterful job of it. I’ve never seen such gorgeous blossoms. No, not even in the Garden. You should receive commendation from your Head Office.”

_I don’t have a Head Office. I’m a bumblebee._ Aziraphale shook his head.

“Of course. Silly me. I don’t have a Head Office anymore either. Well, at least I think I don’t. I’m afraid stopping the Apocalypse has put me in Heaven’s bad books. But I haven’t been discorporated yet, so maybe it’s not all that bad.” He frowned. “Then again, I have no way of knowing what they think of me up there. It’s very possible that Crowley was right. There might just be another war between humanity and the combined forces of the ethereal and the occult.” The bee stared at him blankly.

_I’m just an insect. I don’t care about divine politics._

“If only I could live a life like yours, brother bee,” Aziraphale lamented. “Doing honest work and tending to a garden, worrying about pollinating and rain and not at all about the divine workings of the universe and the ineffable plan. I was a gardener once, when I was trying to influence the Antichrist to the light. Of course, now I know that we were following the wrong boy. But I did enjoy the work.” He smiled wistfully. The bee, dazed at the ramblings, began to march across the page.

_Who exactly are you waiting for again?_ Aziraphale’s face lit up.

“Crowley. He’s a demon, but as far as demons go, he’s got plenty of good in him. He’s been on earth since the beginning, you know. He was in charge of the first temptation with the apple and everything. We’ve been friends for six thousand years now. After we helped to avert the Apocalypse, we went to lunch at the Ritz!” The bee looked up at Aziraphale with a look that could only be described as bemusement.

_You sound very fond of him. Are you two together?_ Aziraphale went scarlet. 

“Oh, n-no. It’s nothing like that. We’re friends. The lunch at the Ritz was just a sort of celebration. It’s not like it was- We weren’t on a-a date or anything.” The bee looked entirely unimpressed.

To say that Aziraphale was flustered was like saying that the Louvre was just a museum. The word could never fully encapsulate the intensity of his discomfort. His cheeks were hot, and even the tips of his ears had turned red. He sputtered indignantly for several seconds before he could find the proper words.

“It’s not that I _wouldn’t_ go on a date with Crowley. I mean he’s, he’s absolutely marvelous. He’s always so fashionable and modern. He knows the best music, the best people, and the best places to meet. I’m afraid I tend to hold on to the past and the times I enjoyed. Crowley though, he lives in the present. I told him once that he goes too fast for me, but that’s not quite it. I feel like I go too slow for him.” Aziraphale sighed and rubbed his brow. “Not that I’d ever tell him I’d love to go on a date. I’m such a coward.”

“You never know, angel. I might’ve said yes.” Aziraphale squeaked and turned to find Crowley standing just behind him. The demon looked incredibly smug. 

“Crowley! How-how long have you been standing there?” He shrugged.

“Oh, since you said lunch at the Ritz wasn’t a date.” Aziraphale buried his face in his hands. The bee, still perched on the edge of his book, looked very pleased with itself. It was no secret that Aziraphale was pining after the demon. Someone had to get him to admit it, the bee thought. Might as well be an insect. It buzzed gently to get the angel’s attention.

_We owe you for giving us a name. I can try to help you out. Now stop hiding and talk to your boyfriend!_ Triumphant, the bee took flight. Its work here was done, and there were still so many flowers that needed some help.

Crowley sat next to Aziraphale, lounging in his usual serpentine manner. Aziraphale glanced at him between his fingers, praying that the demon wouldn’t poke fun at him. When Crowley spoke, he didn’t jeer at all.

“You know, that’s the second time I’ve seen you chatting with a bumblebee,” he said casually. “You named them, didn’t you? Back at the beginning.” Aziraphale nodded.

“The first bumblebee was having trouble escaping a flower, so I helped him out.”

“I know. I was there.”

“You were?” Aziraphale blanched visibly, hands falling to his lap. “I don’t remember that.” Now, it was Crowley’s turn to look guilty.

“Yeah, you didn’t see me. I had been sent to make some trouble, but I got there too early. Adam and Eve weren’t around yet, so I just sort of explored. I heard a voice so I followed it, and I saw you rescuing that bee and chatting away.”

“And you never told me?”

“What, that I was spying on you before we formally met? I didn’t want you to fear me, Aziraphale. I already had the whole ‘demon’ thing going against me. It was better if I just kept mum.”

An awkward silence passed between them. Neither knew what to say in light of their recent revelations.

“Would,” Aziraphale began. “Would you like to go to lunch, Crowley?” The demon raised an eyebrow.

“Are you asking me on a date, Aziraphale?”

“I erm, yes. I do believe I am.”

“I’d love to.” Crowley smiled. Aziraphale returned it, the tension draining out of his shoulders. They walked off together, closer than they might have been before. From above, a bumblebee nodded, pleased. It had only taken six thousand years and a little nudge from a humble bee, but Aziraphale and Crowley were walking through the garden hand in hand.


End file.
